Apple releases watchOS 4.0.1 with fix for Series 3 LTE/Wi-Fi bug

Enlarge / Call options in the Phone app. (credit: Valentina Palladino)

Apple released a software update for its Series 3 watches today that will upgrade watchOS 4 to watchOS 4.0.1. This is the first software update to watchOS 4 since it became available for all Apple Watch models on September 19. The watchOS 4.0.1 update focuses on fixing a peculiar Wi-Fi issue some Series 3 with LTE models experienced. That issue prevented the devices from connecting to LTE in favor of connecting to an inaccessible but familiar Wi-Fi network.

The update page details the problem: "watchOS 4.0.1 fixes issues that, in rare cases, were causing Apple Watch to join unauthenticated (captive) Wi-Fi networks, such as those found in public places like coffee shops and hotels, which direct the user to a webpage before the network can be accessed."

In the first round of Apple Watch Series 3 reviews, some reviewers experienced this problem. The Series 3 attempted to connect to a Wi-Fi network the user previously approved and connected to via another Apple device (like an iPhone or a Mac). Public Wi-Fi networks often make users accept terms and conditions or input temporary passwords before connecting. Since the Apple Watch cannot display those options, the Series 3 would appear to be connected to a Wi-Fi network, even though no service came through. This prevented the Series 3 from connecting to LTE service in areas where the user may have wanted to use cellular data over any Wi-Fi network.

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